National Games’ new generation of stars set to shine at Asian Games, Olympics and beyond
Hong Kong’s Ceci Lee and Ryan Choi among a host of athletes who have taken the torch from the likes of Ma Long, Sun Yang and Pan Zhanle
The National Games has been more than a first for co-hosts Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau; it has also marked the emergence of the stars of the future.
And as well as the passing of the physical torch from the Greater Bay Area to Hunan, which will stage the 2029 Games, there was the passing of the metaphorical one between generations.
While the likes of Ma Long and Sun Yang, and even Pan Zhanle, grapple with the fading of their powers, those who will replace them have been stealing the limelight.
Here are some of those we think will shine at next year’s Asian Games, at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and beyond.
Ceci Lee Sze-wing
Where else to start but with Hong Kong’s newest sporting superstar? Cyclist Lee became the first athlete from the city to win three golds in a single Games. The road race champion in 2021, she is also alone in owning four golds overall.
The self-doubt that once plagued her, and which spoiled her first Olympics last year, has given way to an endearing assurance that translated into bold and aggressive performances on the road and track over the past fortnight.